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Keywords
Just-in-time, Fordism, Productivity, Japanese management styles, Production methods
Abstract
Just-in-time (JIT) production methods were popularized by the excellent results achieved by Japanese industry. When it became evident during the 1970s that the Japanese were gaining markets previously dominated by Americans, there was considerable interest in learning how Japanese industry operates. Then, during the early 1980s, Toyota's highly effective JIT production system had a particular appeal to Americans who were trying to understand Japanese production methods. While Taichi Ohno, creator of Toyota's production system, credits Henry Ford as the originator, it is now known that Ernest Kanzler, one of Ford's subordinates, played a major role in developing JIT production methods. This article reports Ford's and Kanzler's contributions and explores the possible influence that Frederick W. Taylor may have had on the development of this approach at the Ford Motor Company.
When researchers examine the Japanese industrial renaissance they often find American ideas. This article describes such a situation. In 1980, Norman Bodek of Productivity Press searched for the origin of Toyota's production system and its just-intime (JIT) method of production supply and inventory control. Interviewing retired CEO Taichi Ohno, who is credited with creating the Toyota System, Bodek inquired about the development of Toyota's JIT method of production supply and inventory control:
Mr Ohno replied that he learned it all from Henry Ford's book Today and Tomorrow. This conversation led to the reprinting of Ford's book 62 years after its writing (Petersen, 1990, p. 95).
In searching further for the origin of this innovation, one could argue that Frederick W. Taylor might have influenced this accomplishment at the Ford Motor Company. Rising to fame around the same time, Taylor and Ford were aware of each other's accomplishments. The purpose of this article is to explore the possible influence that Taylor had on the development of JIT production methods at the Ford Motor Company and then show how Ernest Kanzler developed this approach in collaboration with Henry Ford[1].
Following a short overview of JIT production methods, this article will summarize the experience and views of Henry Ford. Then a description of Frederick Taylor's scientific management will be followed by a more detailed discussion of the possible influence that Taylor had on the development...